


Oh Christmas Lights, Keep Shining On

by CustardCreamies



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Background Simi, Christmas Fluff, First Kiss, First Meetings, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:00:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21620032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CustardCreamies/pseuds/CustardCreamies
Summary: Lewis Hamilton decides he needs to do something different this Christmas, especially after a nasty breakup. He decides to use the Finnish 'Rent A Finn' experience. He'd get a trip to Finland and stay with a native of that country and learn more about how they celebrated Christmas.He gets paired with Valtteri Bottas, a rally driver with a sharp sense of humour and a warm heart.Can Valtteri's spirit and Sisu make this a Christmas Lewis won't ever forget?
Relationships: Valtteri Bottas/Lewis Hamilton
Comments: 8
Kudos: 63
Collections: Motorsport Secret Santa 2019





	Oh Christmas Lights, Keep Shining On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Anna_banana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anna_banana/gifts).

> I had a lot of fun with this, especially writing about this rare pair. Music on repeat while writing this were as follows 
> 
> Christmas Lights - Coldplay  
Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds  
Sleigh Ride - Ronettes

The freezing cold air is the first thing Lewis registers. He shivers and pulls his coat tighter around himself as he heads down the plane steps with his luggage in hand. He takes a sharp breath of winter air and wonders if he’s doing the right thing. 

Gathering himself, he heads inside Helsinki’s airport terminal and checks into arrivals. After getting his documents checked he heads to the arrivals lounge and looks around at all the people gathered awaiting friends and family. He bites his lip, looking for the man he was supposed to meet. 

A young well built man waits at the exit to arrives with a sign in his hands. _ Lewis Hamilton - Rent A Finn.  _

Lewis takes another breath and moves over to the man, looking him over. He was short, but buff. Pale, intelligent, eyes meet his along with a scruffy beard. The man was well dressed against the winter chill, a thick parka coat fitting snugly around him. He looked friendly and approachable, which made Lewis feel more at ease. He had been scared the Finn he would be spending the holidays with would be scary looking like his friend Kimi, but this guy wasn’t at all scary looking. He looked soft and kind, and quite fit. 

“Valtteri?” Lewis inquires softly, trying out the Finnish name on his tongue. It was the name he had gotten from the Rent A Finn email he had been sent. 

Valtteri gives him a warm smile and holds out his hand. “Lewis right? Welcome to Finland.” 

Lewis smiles and takes the offered hand. “Thank you. I’m excited to see what you have in store for me.” 

The Finn gives him a sly smile. “Oh I’m sure you are. I’ve heard a lot about you, you know?” 

Lewis blinks. “You have?” He asks, wondering what Rent A Finn had told Valtteri. 

Valtteri’s smile is mischievous. “I think you know Kimi Raikkonen?” 

Lewis’ eyes widen. “I do! You’re friends with him?” 

Valtteri grins softly and nods, his hand moving to take Lewis’ luggage. “I do indeed. We grew up together. I heard he’s settled down now.” 

Lewis nods softly. “He is. I’ve got an invite to his wedding at New Year.” 

“You too?” Valtteri looks over at him. 

“Yeah, I know who he’s marrying too. Sebastian Vettel. The guy who was his guest for Rent A Finn.” Lewis answers. 

Valtteri looks highly amused. “To think, that guy came with the idea of falling in love with Finland and fell for his host instead.” 

“To be fair I heard the guy was obsessed with Finns anyway.” Lewis chuckles softly. “If it makes Kimi happy then I’m happy for him.” 

“Me too.” Valtteri replies as he leads him to his car, placing the suitcase into the back. “Get inside, the heater is nice and warm.”

Lewis nods and settles into the passenger seat, turning the heater vent towards him as Valtteri settles in the driver’s seat. 

The drive to Nastola doesn’t take too long, the ride passing in companionable silence. The winter trees flashing past on both sides. As the sign for the town comes into view, Valtteri clears his throat. “So what are you hoping to get out of this experience?” 

Lewis looks over at him and gives him a small shrug. “Maybe learn how Christmas is celebrated the Finnish way? I don’t actually have any real wants….” He fiddles with his scarf a little. 

Valtteri casts a look his way. “Have you done any research at all? Looked up things Finns love?” 

Lewis shakes his head, looking a little uncomfortable. “Is it bad I signed up for this to run away?” 

Valtteri hums and tilts his head at him. “Run away?” 

Lewis nods quietly, huffing a small sad sigh. “I uh...I may be running away from an ex.” 

Valtteri makes a small, ‘ah’ sound. When the Finn doesn’t say anything else, Lewis continues. “I flew to Germany to see him. He works away from home a lot. Anyway, I flew over to surprise him to find him in bed with someone else.” 

Valtteri winces at that and gives him a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry about that…”

Lewis shrugs like it doesn’t hurt. “It’s okay...he wasn’t the best to me.” 

Valtteri frowns and Lewis is quick to continue, “He didn’t hit me or anything, just...we were both competitive and it became toxic between us.” 

Valtteri nods, not that it made what he was saying any better. “He still sounds like an ass to me.” 

Lewis lets out a soft laugh and nods gently. “Yeah, he could be an ass if I’m being honest.” 

“So that’s why you applied for Rent A Finn?” Valtteri asks him as they end up outside a cosy looking house nested in front of a large swath of trees. 

Lewis hums curiously and gets out of the car, looking at the house. “Nice place you have here.” 

Valtteri gets out of the car and heads to the boot, grabbing his luggage from the back. He gives Lewis a grin at his words. “Thanks! I love it.” 

Lewis nods and waits for the Finn to unlock the door, hearing excitable barking from inside. An instant smile appears on Valtteri’s face as he opens the door and a dotty blur makes herself known. The blur being a bouncy Dalmation. 

“Meet Fanni.” Valtteri grins as the young dog whines and jumps up onto Valtteri for kisses, making the Finn chuckle and call her terms of endearment in Finnish. 

“She’s beautiful!” Lewis grins as the Dalmation seems to notice him and moves over to him curiously. 

“She was a present from a friend.” Valtteri explains. “I’ve had her for over a year now.” 

Lewis nods and grins as Fanni decides she approves of the Brit and begins to cover his face in kisses. It makes Lewis laugh, gently moving her down as he grins at Valtteri. “I have two dogs, but they’re not this excitable!” 

“Really?” Valtteri asks as he heads inside with the bags. Lewis nods softly and follows him inside. The house is cosy, with a soft white theme throughout. It should make the house look like a showroom, but it doesn’t. Valtteri, it seems, had an eye for detail and Lewis feels right at home instantly. 

“Please make yourself comfortable.” Valtteri says softly as he places his bags down, making Fanni move over to them curiously. 

Lewis nods and moves over to the sofa settling down into the plush seat. He looks around the house. “So I was just given your name, what do you do for a living?” 

The sounds of the coffee machine turning on almost drowns out Valtteri’s words. “I’m a rally driver.”

“Wow that sounds interesting.” Lewis twists around so he can see the Finn, who’s making coffee in the open plan kitchen. 

Valtteri nods, giving him a quick smile. “There’s one coming up soon. I’m planning to let you tag along with me.” 

“That would be epic!” Lewis grins, feeling excitement fill him. “I’ve seen a few rallies on TV.” 

“It will be my second rally.” Valtteri tells him as he comes back into the room with two steaming mugs. 

“Second?” Lewis asks softly as he takes the mug from him. 

Valtteri nods, settling into the seat next to him. “I got into it last year, I love it. It’s fun.” 

Lewis hums, taking a sip of his coffee. “I’d love to see you in action.” 

Valtteri grins. “And you will. VIP access, I promise.” 

Lewis gives him a bright smile in reply, already feeling like this holiday was one of his best ideas. 

* * *

Lewis doesn’t find it difficult to settle into life in Finland. Valtteri is an amazing host and happily allows him to join in on traditional Finnish Christmas things and stories. 

“You mean Santa used to be a Yule goat?” Lewis asks, eyes wide as they both walk through the winter trees. 

Valtteri nods, glancing over at him. “He was called Joulupukki and we had to give him presents rather than receive them.” 

“Weird, and this thing with the Krampus?” Lewis raises an eyebrow. 

Valtteri snorts. “The anti-Santa who punishes naughty children and takes them to his lair? Yeah it’s a favourite story to get little children to sleep. More effective then the Elf on a shelf thing.” 

Lewis nods and then sighs. “You Finns are hardcore, even to your own children.” 

Valtteri laughs, a soft amused sound and Lewis denies his stomach flips. “Yeah I suppose we are.” 

As they continue to walk, Lewis muses on the fact that he had not expected falling in love to be something that happened while in Finland, certainly not this quickly anyway. 

Somehow though, he really doesn’t mind. 

* * *

The day of the rally arrives and Lewis follows Valtteri towards a tent at the side of a rather impressive track made from snow and ice. Lewis is typically bundled from head to toe in warm clothes, which amuses Valtteri. Having a Brit stay with him had been fun for Valtteri, he had never known that one man could complain about the cold so much. During their first week the Finn had decided to be a teasing ass and had made Lewis have a snowball fight with him. Lets just say it had not gone down too well, what with the snow dripping down Lewis’ neck and making him even more cold then he was. Valtteri had to deal with a grumpy, too cold, Brit all evening. 

Although, the grumpiness seemed to fade once Valtteri had offered cuddles. Which Valtteri had decided not to question, even if the cuddles had felt amazing. After that Valtteri had made sure Lewis kept warm, even going so far as to buy him some faux fur lined woolie hats and scarves. Seeing Lewis all bundled up warm always made Valtteri smile. 

Lewis heads inside the tent, glancing to the gleaming car all ready for her run. “Amazing!” 

Valtteri turns to look at Lewis and beams. “You think so?” 

“She’s a beast man!” Lewis assures, a gleam in his eyes as he looks over the car. “Bet she’s amazing to drive.” 

“She is.” Valtteri agrees with a smile. “I can’t wait to show you what she can do!” 

Lewis nods, smiling warmly as he looks at him. “Me too.” 

The Finn’s smile is shy and beautiful. He gently squeezes Lewis’ shoulder. “I’ll go change into my race suit. Go and find a place to watch from.” 

Lewis nods, giving him a wink. “I’ll find some merchandise so I’ll look the part.” 

This makes the Finn chuckle. “Third tent along if you’re serious. The rally starts in half an hour.” 

Lewis nods and moves off to where the tent was located. He was serious. He really wanted to show Valtteri some support. 

* * *

Ten minutes later Lewis returns wearing a Valtteri branded scarf and carrying a small Finnish flag, making Valtteri laugh in delight. The Finn looks amazing in his racesuit and once again Lewis’ breath gets caught in his chest. 

Then, the thought enters his head unbidden. The Finn was beautiful. 

“Like the suit?” Valtteri asks, a playful look in his eyes, glancing at him. 

Lewis grins. “Suits you, and hey. Look at me, cheering you on!” He waves the Finnish flag around proudly. 

Valtteri’s smile is warm like the sun and Lewis feels warmth pool in his chest, making him feel warm despite the ice and snow. 

“You look like my number one fan.” The Finn comments in his soft voice, and Lewis falls for him maybe just that little bit harder. 

* * *

A few weeks later it’s Christmas Eve. 

Lewis heads downstairs and blinks at the sight of Valtteri cooking in the kitchen, the smells of porridge and fruit filling the air. 

“Good morning.” Valtteri smiles at Lewis as he stirs the pot. “Take a seat.” 

Lewis does so, watching the Finn at work. Pretty soon a bowl of rice porridge and another bowl of plum fruit is placed in front of him. Upon Lewis’ look, Valtteri explains. “It’s tradition to eat rice porridge and plum fruit on Christmas Eve.” 

As Lewis tucks into the food, giving a hum of appreciation, he looks up at Valtteri. “What else is tradition?” 

The Finn’s eyes light up with a sparkle in them and Lewis finds himself wondering just what he had in store for him. 

* * *

“A Sauna?” 

Lewis glances over to the Finn who nods with a little smile, fiddling with the heat control in the sauna. 

“Christmas Eve tradition.” Valtteri explains as he makes the heat just right and begins to take off his clothes, much to Lewis’ embarrassment.

“We have to go naked?” Lewis asks, feeling his heart start to race as he glances at the Finn, all sleek muscles and toned abs. He blinks a little, feeling like his brain had gone offline. 

He’s staring so much that he doesn’t realise Valtteri is talking to him. “Hm?” 

“I said, we Finnish do not care so much about nudity. We have Sisu. Plus it’s the best way to enjoy sauna.” Valtteri explains, a playful smile on his face. “So are you joining me?” 

Lewis bites his lip and then nods softly, giving a little cough as he removes his clothes, revealing his tattoed body to Valtteri. The Finn gives a soft hum and gazes over him for an instant before sitting down on the bench with a happy sigh. 

Lewis gingerly sits next to him and leans back against the wall, trying to enjoy the heat. However it’s soon obvious that Lewis isn’t that big a fan of the heat, making Valtteri sigh. 

“I thought you came here to learn how to be Finnish?” The Finn asks him. 

Lewis turns to look at him and gives him a sheepish smile. “I am, but I guess I am a true Brit at heart. It’s too hot for me.” 

Valtteri rolls his eyes and huffs softly. “You don’t know what’s good for you.” 

“I do too.” Lewis huffs, looking over at the Finn. 

Valtteri raises an eyebrow at him. “Really now?” 

Lewis nods. “I know it isn’t a hot sauna!” 

Valtteri hums, then smirks. “What  _ is  _ good for you then?” 

Lewis hums softly and thinks for a second. “A hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire, sledding through the snow, walking through town with the one I love.” That last one had not meant to come out at all. 

“One you love eh?” Valtteri asks with a little smile, making Lewis blush. 

“I uh….I mean...uh...you know...family...friends…” The Brit tries, but Valtteri just smirks, leaning in closer to the Brit. 

“I could help with that last one.” The Finn’s pale eyes seem darker, more deep green then Lewis has ever seen them, making Lewis swallow hard. 

“Oh?” Lewis feels his heart begin to race again, the temperature seemingly starting to rise, making Lewis feel like his head is spinning. He’s drowning...and all he can see is Valtteri’s bright green eyes. 

Valtteri grins, leaning in ever closer until his hand moves and he opens the door, letting in a blast of cold air. “Get out.” 

Lewis blinks, stunned and suddenly finds Valtteri almost shoving him out of the sauna. It all happens so fast that he can feel the stinging cold before he can register he’s in the nude out in the cold snow. 

A hand grabs his wrist and Valtteri bodily pulls him to the lake which has had it’s ice broken, much to Lewis’ horror. In an instant Valtteri is in the lake, pulling the Brit in with him. 

It’s cold. Very very cold. It takes Lewis’ breath away and robs him of his senses. He’s dimly aware of strong arms keeping him afloat but it’s overshadowed by his legs going numb. He’s shivering hard and all he can hear is Valtteri's soft laughter. His senses are going crazy and he turns his head to see Valtteri’s bright grin despite the cold. 

Oh he was going to murder him. He really was. 

* * *

Ten minutes later, Lewis finds himself wrapped up in a warm thick blanket with a mug of hot chocolate near a roaring fire. 

All is forgiven. 

Valtteri sits next to Lewis, a similar mug in his hands. He glances at Lewis and gives him a little soft grin, Fanni choosing that moment to jump up to curl between them. 

It’s late, the snow drifting down outside the window. The house warm and cosy with the Christmas tree lit up in the corner with presents underneath it’s pine branches. 

In the silence, a clock chimes. The soft sound signalising midnight has arrived. Christmas Day. 

Valtteri glances at Lewis and grins. “Happy Christmas.” 

Lewis smiles and moves over just a little closer. “Merry Christmas.” 

“Want to open a present?” Valtteri asks with a hum and Lewis nods softly with a smile. 

“Pick one.” The Finn tells him gently and Lewis looks over the brightly coloured gifts before he reaches under the sofa cushions to produce a sprig of mistletoe, holding it above their heads. Valtteri’s eyes widen and Lewis grins playfully in the soft twinkling light. 

Without a word Valtteri leans in to kiss him, soft and sweet, tasting of mint and rich chocolate and Lewis swears he dies right there and then. 

They kiss slow and lazy for a little while, until Valtteri softly whispers a request and Lewis nods. 

They would spend Christmas together. 

* * *

The next morning Lewis wakes up tangled close in the warm embrace of Valtteri. The skies are filled with snow outside and the soft sound of children’s laughter can be heard even with the window closed. It’s, in a word, magical. 

Lewis turns and nudges Valtteri’s nose for a soft, slow, kiss. Valtteri stirs slowly at his gentle touch and sleepily responds, kissing him softly. The kiss gets more heated as he awakens, making Lewis hum in happiness. 

Yes. This was how he could spend every morning from now on. 

* * *

A few weeks later Lewis stands in a picturesque church in the German village of Heppenheim with Valtteri at his side, watching his best friend marry his true love. 

Kimi stands at the front of the church with Sebastian at his side, the German grinning broadly at the Finn as they recite their vows together under the beautiful stained glass window. 

He feels a hand take his and Lewis glances over at Valtteri, smiling softly at the Finn. 

“That could be us.” The Finn slyly murmurs as Sebastian gently cups Kimi’s cheek and draws him into a soft slow kiss, a signal that they were now married. Partners until the end of time. 

“Hm?” Lewis asks, glancing back to Sebastian and Kimi, watching them murmur to each other as the crowd cheers, lost in their own little world. 

“You heard me, in the future that could be us.” Valtteri tells him as he claps with everyone else. 

Lewis hums, giving Valtteri a small smile. “We’ve only been dating for a few weeks, don’t you think you’re going a little fast?” 

Valtteri chuckles softly and glances at him. “In those few weeks of dating you have officially moved to Finland, made my house your home and have become a big part of my life. I don’t think i’m going fast. In fact, I think I’m going at a reasonable and logical pace. I see myself marrying you. Having a family. Being happy. We don’t need to marry right this second, but I would love to call you mine.” 

Lewis feels his breath catch in his throat and in return he softly squeezes his hand, nodding softly. “The future you dream of sounds perfect to me.” 

“Is that a yes?” Valtteri grins at him and Lewis once again glances at Sebastian and Kimi, who are making their way down the aisle to applause. 

“It’s a yes.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment or kudo if you enjoyed!


End file.
